Comment on 20 Gorgeous Rainmeter Skins by technikola

The Windows line of operating systems is, and has always been, a pretty customizable one. However, majority of this customization is limited to changing the occasional wallpaper, or using of the many official and third party/custom themes. Thankfully, there are quite a few programs available out there that let you tweak your Windows desktop to the fullest, with Rainmeter being arguably the most popular of them.

Extremely powerful and customizable, Rainmeter is a free desktop customization program that lets you completely transform the way your desktop looks like. It can be used to display a truckload of extra information (e.g. Clock, Network statistics, Processor usage, Email, RSS feeds) on the desktop, which itself can be tweaked in unimaginable ways, thanks to the countless skins available for the same. But finding the best skins can be pretty hard.

No worries, as we’re here to help you get started with that. So strap in, and check out 20 of the best Rainmeter skins that you can use to pimp up that ol’ desktop of yours!

Note: It goes without saying, in order to use these skins, you need to have Rainmeter installed on your Windows PC. It’s compatible with all Windows versions, from XP to Windows 10.

1. TECH-A

Futuristic yet minimal, TECH-A is both amazing and versatile. It can display a horde of information, such as per core CPU usage, RAM utilization, as well as Time & date. Apart from this, there are also shortcuts to system folders (e.g. My Documents) and Disk partitions, all arranged around an animated, revolving core.

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2. IronMan-Jarvis

You don’t really have to be Tony Stark to get your own J.A.R.V.I.S powered computer, as the IronMan-Jarvis Rainmeter skin will work out just fine. It’s super customizable, having multiple modules that can be easily re-positioned. Some of the information displayed includes Clock/Date, Hard disk capacity and Temperature details, RSS feeds, and of course shortcuts to the system folders (e.g. My Documents), emerging from the arc reactor core.

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3. Avengers SHIELD OS

Although gathering (and coordinating) your own team of superheroes in real-life can a be little tough, you can always play Nick Fury while sitting at your computer, thanks to Avengers SHIELD OS Rainmeter skin. It’s available in multiple resolutions, and includes handy shortcuts to frequently accessed applications like Browser and Media player. Other stuff includes Volume control, Media playback/control bar, RAM and CPU usage display, shutdown & restart buttons, and most importantly, the S.H.I.E.L.D Eagle tag.

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4. Mass Effect

For the hardcore fans of BioWare’s critically acclaimed game franchise, which is also its namesake, the Mass Effect Rainmeter skin will have you feeling like Commander Shepard, going on against the Reapers. The skin includes numerous modules such as a Time and date bar, Media playback and Control panel, Hard disk information pane, and Network statistics graph, all of which can be freely re-arranged.

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5. Senja Suite

If you’re a fan of minimalism, you’re going to love Senja Suite. Lightweight and clean, it’s a Rainmeter skin that just takes care of the basics, but does them extremely well, without throwing too much stuff in your face. The information displayed includes Time, User profile button with an expandable bar for System folder shortcuts, Slideshow of favorite pictures, Media information with control buttons, and Shutdown/Restart/Log off buttons.

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6. ALIENS

If there’s a skin that perfectly illustrates how much a background wallpaper is important to customization, it’s ALIENS. It’s a brilliantly designed Rainmeter skin that only makes sense when paired with the companion Aliens wallpaper that comes with it. The modules are configurable and include everything from Disk partition shortcuts and Power status, to Network upload/download speeds and System time and date.

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7. Eker Lina

One of most beautifully designed Rainmeter skins out there, Eker Lina consists of numerous sub-modules that look like small widgets, with each having a consistent design. Due to this, the skin’s sub elements can be arranged as per requirements to create all sorts of great looking layouts. Eker Lina can display lots of data, such as System folder and drive shortcuts, Media controls, RSS feeds, Time & Date, and Current weather.

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8. Before Dawn

Probably the easiest to set up Rainmeter skin out there, Before Dawn requires zero tweaking. All you have to do is just run it and it appears as a stunning, information laced bar spanning the entire width of the desktop. Before Dawn presents information in a highly legible way, and the content it displays includes Time & Date, Shortcuts to frequently access programs and websites, Subscribed RSS feeds, and Current location temperature.

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9. PILEUS

It might not be according to everyone’s taste, but PILEUS is still an incredibly designed Rainmeter skin, with sub-elements that have a unique “drawn and scrubbed” effect to them. It’s also quite a heavy skin, but that’s because of the insane amount of information it can display, which includes everything from Power status and RSS feeds, to Time/Date and System folders/Disk partition shortcuts. And the fact that it comes in both light and dark variants, just makes things better.

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10. Razor

Full of translucency and frosted glass effects, Razor is a sight to behold. Again, this is one of those skins where the choice of desktop wallpaper can dramatically affect how good (or bad) the skin, and hence, the overall desktop looks, so make sure you choose a minimalistic wallpaper. Few of the information displaying sub-modules that it comes with include a combo Weather and Time & Date header, System libraries’ shortcuts, a Customizable dock, Power status, and Network strength.

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11. ABP

Having simple yet elegant looking sub-modules, complete with subtle drop shadows, ABP is a pretty nice looking skin. All the skin components have a largely unified rectangular appearance, and together they lend a consistent appeal to the skin, and therefore, the desktop. From System clock to a Slideshow of your favorite pictures, and from CPU/RAM usage to current media playback information, ABP can display anything and everything.

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12. Enigma

Probably one of the most (if not the most) downloaded Rainmeter skins of all time, you can spend hours at a stretch configuring Enigma. In fact, it’s so amazing that it was chosen as Rainmeter’s default skin in 2009. Enigma can show just about every piece of system (and other) information you can think of. All of its sub-modules are highly configurable, and can be individually re-arranged. Some of the stuff Enigma can show on the desktop includes World time and Weather, Media playback status/control, multiple RSS feeds, Picture slideshow, CPU and RAM usage, Quick notes, Real time active processes, and then some more.

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13. Speed

Yet another skin with frosted glass and transparency effects, Speed looks great when matched with muted and minimal wallpapers. All of the skin’s sub-modules have a consistent look, and can be re-arranged to suit desktops of different resolutions. It can display system Time/Date, RSS feeds, Network status, Unread email count, CPU/RAM usage (via neat looking gauges), and of course, Temperature with three day forecast.

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14. Wisp

What makes Wisp unique is the fact that its sub-elements don’t really have any “containing” boundaries, so they appear as they are written or drawn directly on the desktop background, rather than appearing as discrete widgets. This can make for some really amazing looking desktops, when Wisp is paired with the right wallpaper. The neat looking skin features modules for displaying information such as disk partitions’ space usage, Temperature, System date and time, CPU/RAM usage, and Network bandwidth consumption.

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15. Simple Media

True to its name, Simple Media is one of the simpler looking and basic skins that you can find for Rainmeter. But despite being basic and having only the essential information displaying sub-modules, Simple Media looks pretty great, thanks to a great looking font and a design that works well on almost all kinds of desktops, regardless of resolution. The included modules can be used to display current Date and Time, Recycle Bin status, as well as the current Temperature, and there are multiple variants available for all three.

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16. LIM!T

If you don’t really care for complicated looks, and prefer something that conveys more meaning via mere text, LIM!T is definitely a Rainmeter skin worth checking it. Composed almost entirely of big, clean fonts, it conveys lots of information by filling up the inside(s) of the textual content, based on what information that text is displaying (e.g. the minute numbers are filled up steadily, and increment after reaching full mark, every 60 seconds). The information displayed includes Date/Time, CPU and RAM usage, Current media playback status, and Weather statistics.

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17. Neon Space

Once you get Neon Space up and running, you’re going to have a really hard time taking your eyes off it. It really is that damn good. Toting a plethora of configurable modules that all animate and glow in neon blue color, Neon Space completely transforms your desktop to resemble something like the HUD of a futuristic alien spaceship. The stuff that it can display includes Current weather with 3 day forecast, CPU and RAM usage, Calendar, Time and Date, and most importantly, a whole bunch of holographic goodness that doesn’t show any information, but is absolutely dope!

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18. Unity

There’s a certain elegance to simplicity that always makes it stand out, and Unity is a perfect example of this. A beautifully minimal yet functional Rainmeter skin, it includes all standard information showing sub-modules, such as Time & Date, Weather status, shortcuts to System folders (e.g. My documents), and a full width Media playback control/status bar.

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19. Elegance 2

Another skin purpose built for lovers of minimalism, Elegance 2, much like its name, conveys the essential system information in an elegant way. It’s extremely lightweight, and blends in amazingly with the original desktop background image. The information is presented using legibly designed fonts, and includes time & date, CPU & RAM usage stats, Media playback and control, along with details about Recycle Bin items.

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20. Newspaper Desktop

Wanna give your desktop a distinctly unique look? Take a look at Newspaper Desktop, as it just might be what you need. When paired with the right wallpaper, it makes the Desktop appear as a Newspaper laid out on a table, complete with things like a pocket clock. There’s quite a bit of information displayed, including Time & Date, CPU/RAM usage, Network statistics, Weather forecast, and Disk space counter. All of the elements are arranged to mimic the primary components of a Newspaper, such as Name/Date header, News story columns, and then some more.

22. Rainmeter Thread On Reddit

Always one of the best source of information and resources on just about everything, Reddit is here for your desktop customization needs as well. Check out the Rainmeter thread on Reddit, your one stop shop for everything related to Rainmeter. The near daily updated thread includes newly uploaded skins, themes and other customization resources, and even tutorials to create your own Rainmeter skins!

SEE ALSO: How to Enable Windows 10 dark theme

Make that Desktop personal!

Our computers can be considered as digital extensions of our personalities, so it makes sense that they have a individually unique appeal to them, which is something that basic customization can’t achieve. This is where applications like Rainmeter come into play, and as seen above, there are plenty of ways it can help you jazz up your regular Windows Desktop. So go ahead, and make it personal. Know of any other Rainmeter skins and themes that could’ve made the cut above? Do let us know in the comments below.